Digital Commons Network^™

Media Literacy And The English As A Second Language Curriculum: A Curricular Critique And Dreams For The Future, Clara R. Madrenas

Electronic Thesis and Dissertation Repository

This thesis investigates whether or not the Ontario English as a Second Language/English Literacy Development (ESL/ELD) curriculum imparts the critical literacy skills necessary for students to deconstruct the multimedia messages with which the contemporary world is saturated, in order to function as informed, agentic citizens of Ontario society. Using foundations of cultural theory, radical critical pedagogy, and critical race theory, particularly the work of James Paul Gee, Henry A. Giroux, Paulo Freire and Michael Apple, this thesis explores the ways in which the current ESL/ELD curriculum can be found lacking due to its enforcement of the banking model of education, …

Reforming Ontario Teachers (1990-2010): The Role Of The College Of Teachers, Janice Pennycook

Electronic Thesis and Dissertation Repository

This dissertation takes up the idea of the teacher as a professional and examines the period in Ontario between 1990 and 2010 when a change in teacher governance through the creation of the College of Teachers contributed to a refocusing of teacher evaluation policy and a redefining of what it means to be a professional teacher. Across a wide variety of settings, teachers are now viewed as central to successful education reform with the result that the requisite qualities of the professional teacher and how teachers are to be transformed to achieve these qualities have become the subjects of intense …

Global Citizenship Through The Eyes Of The Grade Seven Elementary Students: A Case Study, Eva Jaberi

Electronic Thesis and Dissertation Repository

This case study in Southwestern Ontario, Canada explores 22 grade seven students' perceptions about global citizenship, their stance as global citizens and the sources that students draw upon for global learning. Using the Global Citizenship framework and existing theories in the field, this exploratory case study addresses the lack of empirical enquiry in the literature, revealing the roles of schools, the media/social media and the family in shaping emerging global citizens. This study provides evidence that students relate being Canadian to being global citizens. Their global learning mainly happens outside of school. The majority of participants reflect the passive form …

Our Stories: Inuit Teachers Create Counter Narratives And Disrupt The Status Quo, Dawn E L Fyn

Electronic Thesis and Dissertation Repository

Canada has a reputation for diversity and acceptance and of late has made significant strides in formalizing apologies for the maltreatment of Aboriginal populations (Aboriginal Affairs and Northern Development Canada, 2010). The purpose of this study was to investigate Inuit educators’ perceptions of education in Nunavik. While multiple studies consider concerns regarding Inuit education and low graduation rates (Brady, 1996; Walton, 2012), few studies consider the role that Inuit educators can play in assuring the optimal success of Inuit students. This study, situated in Nunavik, the Inuit homeland located within Northern Quebec, fills that gap. Using qualitative methodology and a …

International Service-Learning: Transformational Learning Through Experience, Shannan Lee Crowder

Electronic Thesis and Dissertation Repository

This study applies the Experiential Learning Theory and the Transformational Learning Theory to International Service-Learning (ISL) in post-secondary education. International engagement in post-secondary institutions has become an important element in education. Developing global citizenship is a significant focus for many students and institutions. Higher educational institutions are increasingly being challenged to meet the demands of international connectivity and enhance the quality of learning for prospective students (Garrison & Kanuka, 2004, p. 95). ISL provides the opportunity for students to experience perspective transformation. In order for institutions to foster transformational learning, it is important for educators and researchers to have the …

Building A Community Art Garden: A Participatory Eco-Arts Based Educational Research Project, Beryl R. Cohen

Electronic Thesis and Dissertation Repository

The purpose of this study is to explore how a community comes to understand their sense of place as they create a school art garden, and then consider their relationship to it, and to the natural world. Using qualitative arts-based methods of inquiry and A/r/tography, I weave and construct text and visual images, which portray human actions and experiences within the framework of Environmental Inquiry. As a participant, I also respond to the project through the creation of artwork.

Rich community narratives and data analysis resulted in the following themes: Teaching and Learning; Activism; Connection to Nature; Health and Healing; …

Navigating Chinese And English Multiliteracies Across Domains In Canada: An Ethnographic Case Study Of Culturally And Linguistically Diverse Children’S Literacy Practices, Xiaoxiao Du

Electronic Thesis and Dissertation Repository

Increasing diversity in the globalized world challenges the field of education such as policy development and curriculum design (Suarez-Orozco & Suarez-Orozco, 2009). With more and more students speaking a home language other than English entering schools, numerous studies have examined their English language development with a focus on how they learn to read and write at home and school. However, less is known about culturally and linguistically diverse children’s literacy practices across domains. This study investigated Chinese children’s literacy practices and asked What are Chinese children’s literacy practices at school, home, and in the community? What(linguistic and sociocultural) resources …

Examining Artistic Processes And Transfer, Trish Osler

Electronic Thesis and Dissertation Repository

This exploratory qualitative case study inquires into the relationship between artistic processes in organizational theory and in education, examining the perception of transfer from a lived arts experience to student leadership contexts. The literature review considers the parallel evolution of artistic thinking strategies in organizations and in education, using three processes as a basis for comparison: tolerance for ambiguity, a collaborative culture of critique, and the empowerment of group members at all stages of an initiative. Evidence of these processes was analyzed for its relevance to leadership development using documents from single-gendered independent schools, participant journal entries, and interviews with …

Learner Anxiety And Professional Practice Self-Efficacy In Nursing Education, Joanna Pierazzo

Electronic Thesis and Dissertation Repository

The purpose of this study was to examine the affective component of learner engagement (Linnenbrink & Printrich, 2003); more specifically students’ perceptions of learner anxiety and self-efficacy for professional practice in clinical nursing education. This study identified the factors in clinical learning contexts that contribute to learner anxiety, the differences among these factors in real and simulated learning contexts, and finally, the teaching and learning strategies that minimize learner anxiety and positively enhance self-efficacy for professional nursing practice. A convenience sample of 186 students from three university nursing programs in Ontarioparticipated in a two-phased mixed methods study, reflecting a response …

Encouraging Diversity And Multiculturalism In London, Ontario: A Case Study Of Two Elementary Schools, Abhilasha Duggal

Electronic Thesis and Dissertation Repository

Elementary school students have diverse learning needs and their academic learning in particular varies between students especially so for students those from culturally non-dominant backgrounds. The focus of my research is on understanding the perceptions and practices of eleven teachers teaching in two schools within the London, Ontario school system, along with the perceptions of two principals and two vice principals in relation to the organizational learning opportunities provided for encouraging multicultural education. This study’s purpose was to explore what teaching strategies were used to support diverse students’ learning within the classroom setting. My data gathering sought to respond to …

International Student-Athletes In Canadian Interuniversity Sport (Cis): Motivations And Experiences, Daniel L. Grbac

Electronic Thesis and Dissertation Repository

The purpose of this study was to investigate the landscape of international student-athletes participating in Canadian Interuniversity Sport (CIS) with respect to number, sport, and gender breakdown, and to determine the motivations of these athletes for migrating to a Canadian academic institution as well as their experiences. Of the over 10,000 CIS student-athletes, approximately 5% are international student-athletes. In addition, the sports with the highest number of international student-athletes were soccer and basketball for males, and basketball and soccer for females. Semi-structured interviews with 16 international student-athletes from the four regional associations determined that the majority of participants were motivated …

Investigating The Experiences Of Queer International Students, Elizabeth S. Patrick

Electronic Thesis and Dissertation Repository

There is a great deal of academic literature reporting homophobic discrimination against queer students in higher education. However, queer international students, who have potentially experienced different cultural constructions and understandings of sexualities based upon their cross cultural international studies, have received little to no attention in academic literature. This is significant considering the increasing number of international students studying in Canadian universities. In light of this, this research examines the self-described experiences of seven queer international students attending one Canadian university in order to investigate their experiences as queer identifying subjects. Drawing on their voices, it also attempts to examine …

Voices Count: Employing A Critical Narrative Research Bricolage For Insights Into Dyscalculia, Diana E. Kuhl

Electronic Thesis and Dissertation Repository

This qualitative study involved interviewing adult participants who were identified, or who self identified as having dyscalculia (also known as a mathematical learning disorder), with the objective of obtaining depth of perspective on how this phenomenon is interpreted, responded to, and managed by these individuals and those around them. This study utilizes a theoretical and methodological framework known as bricolage (Kincheloe, 2005) which involves the synthesis of narrative, auto-ethnographic, critical, feminist, neuroscientific, and psychometric perspectives, to explicate the constitution and experience of dyscalculia. This study also explores epistemological privilege within the discipline of educational psychology, and draws on the work …

Investigating Teachers' Understandings Of Gender Equity And Achievement In Postfeminist Times, Katee Joy Van Campen

Electronic Thesis and Dissertation Repository

Drawing from feminist post-structuralism and critical social theories, this thesis examines the significance of postfeminist and neo-liberal influences on teachers’ perspectives about gender equity and girls’ success within the context of Ontario’s high-stakes standardized testing policies and their pedagogical experiences in the classroom. The significance of this inquiry is in its capacity to contribute to further theorizing about how teachers are negotiating the changing meaning of gender equity through a neo-liberal and postfeminist lens. It also adds to the growing body of research that investigates the significance of socio-economic background with regards to girls’ achievement and participation in school and …

Policing Cyber Bullying: How Parents, Educators, And Law Enforcement Respond To Digital Harassment, Ryan Broll

Electronic Thesis and Dissertation Repository

Some prior research has emphasised how adults ought to address cyber bullying, yet little is known about how they actually prevent and respond to digital harassment. This study addresses this gap in the literature by exploring the formal and informal “policing” of cyber bullying by a network of security actors: parents, teachers and school administrators, and the public police. Data were collected through a mixed methods research design consisting of semi-structured qualitative interviews with eight parents, 14 teachers, and 12 members of law enforcement (n = 34) and quantitative surveys completed by 52 parents.

Drawing upon nodal governance theory as …

Motivation And The 40-Hour Community Involvement Program: Their Relationship To Identity Status In First Year University Students, Michael A. Mcdonald

Electronic Thesis and Dissertation Repository

Purpose: The purpose of this dissertation was to investigate the relationship between motivation and identity status in first year university students through examining their participation in the Ontario secondary school community involvement program. This document consists of three separate, but related studies: a scoping review, a mixed-methods research study, and a document review.

Methods: The scoping review was completed using the methodology outlined by Arskey and O’Malley (2005). The Mixed-methods research was conducted using an embedded mixed methods approach. The quantitative aspect was approached from a cross-sectional, descriptive design, with the qualitative component being addressed from a phenomenological perspective. The …

A Transpositive Approach To Therapy With Transgender Clients: An Exploration Of Therapists' Subjective Experiences, Ronnie M. Ali

Electronic Thesis and Dissertation Repository

The longstanding tradition of pathologizing and erasing transgender individuals in psychology has the potential to enter into therapy with transgender clients in insidious and destructive ways. To address this polemic, clinicians have articulated a transpositive approach to working with transgender clients that fosters the client’s right to self-determination. The present study explores the subjective experiences of three therapists working with transgender clients in order to learn how transpositivity materializes in their practices. Utilizing a case study methodology, and cross-case analysis, the study demonstrates that these therapists engaged in self-directed learning and advocacy, demonstrated flexibility in their approach, and were open …

Validation Of A Novel Methodology For Evaluating Surgical Tissue Plane Identification, Syed T. Ali

Electronic Thesis and Dissertation Repository

Introduction: The ability to identify tissues planes is a fundamental surgical skill. This study attempts to validate a previously developed test for assessing this ability.

Methods: 48 video captured images from laparoscopic right hemicolectomies were presented on an iPad to 18 surgeons who were grouped based on experience (Consultants (C), Senior trainees (S), and the Junior trainees (J)). Subjects were asked to draw a line indicating the tissue plane of dissection. Lines were compared by a modified Hausdorff measure. Within group variability represented group precision and trainee accuracy was determined from comparison to Consultants.

Results: Within group comparisons demonstrated Consultants …

From Their Perspective: How Adolescents And Young Adults Experience And Conceptualize Life And Occupation Surrounding Parental Divorce Or Separation, Laura R. Hartman

Electronic Thesis and Dissertation Repository

Parental divorce affects adolescents’ emotions, routines, habits, occupations and relationships. The current body of research indicates that parental divorce leads to many unfavourable social, behavioural, and mental health outcomes for adolescents. This dissertation explores the daily lives and occupations of adolescents and young adults surrounding the transition of a parental divorce or marital separation.

This thesis contains four manuscripts in addition to the introductory and final reflection chapters. The first manuscript explores the current North American literature relating to adolescent life surrounding a parental divorce or marital separation, ranging form 1998 to 2014. The second manuscript provides an overview of …

Beyond The Neoliberal Imaginary: Investigating The Role Of Critical Pedagogy In Higher Education, Melanie M. Mazier

Electronic Thesis and Dissertation Repository

Abstract

This thesis uses the qualitative case study approach to investigate the lived experience of three faculty members in higher education who identify themselves as critical pedagogues during an era of neoliberal restructuring. This research explores what the possibilities are for enacting critical pedagogies within a neoliberal climate of educational restructuring in higher education. Existing literature struggles to define neoliberalism as a result of globalization; further, present neoliberalization is penetrating all levels of social life and informing what many now accept as everyday thinking. The faculty members selected for this research each speaks to these struggles, while providing rich accounts …

The Role Of Mobile Phones In Health Education For Rural Communities In Ghana: An Exploratory Study In Digital Technologies, Kinful Lartebea Aryee

Electronic Thesis and Dissertation Repository

The use of wireless, mobile, and handheld digital devices is growing in every sector, including education and health. The increase in mobile (handheld) phone usage has gradually drawn most healthcare practitioners’ and patients’ attention to its capability as a promoter of health education. It has helped with reduction in social and economic impact of preventive and curative and unexplained non-curable illnesses, especially among rural communities in sub-Saharan African countries such as Ghana.

Activity theory—an object-driven activity— was employed as the conceptual framework to answer the following research questions: What views do people have about information that relates to their health? …

Learning To Prevent Burning And Fatigue: Teacher Burnout And Compassion Fatigue, Adam Koenig

Electronic Thesis and Dissertation Repository

During a professional development workshop, 64 Canadian educators from Southwestern Ontario participated in a workshop about natural consequences that may develop as a result of their line of work. A focus on teacher compassion fatigue, an unresearched area with respect to Canadian educators, and burnout, was taken. The current study hypothesized professional development would positively influence educators’ knowledge, skills, and awareness regarding burnout, vicarious trauma, and compassion fatigue, in both the short and long term. Furthermore, it was predicted there would be a correlation between burnout and compassion fatigue, and that years of experience would be related to the level …

Newcomer Youths' Experiences Of School, Lori-Ann A. Brown

Electronic Thesis and Dissertation Repository

The purpose of the study was to identify positive and negative aspects of school experience among newcomer youth. More specifically, the purpose of this research was to give a voice to a group of newcomers that have been largely ignored by the literature. To accomplish this goal, participants were male and female youth, aged 15 to 18, who had migrated to Canada within the past two years and resided in London at the time of interview. To gather information from participants focus group interviews were conducted with participants from a culturally diverse community centre. The results were analyzed using a …

A Critical Discourse Analysis Of Medical Students’ Reflective Writing: Social Accountability, The Hidden Curriculum, And Critical Reflexivity, Stacey Ritz

Electronic Thesis and Dissertation Repository

In recent years, many medical schools have adopted a ‘social accountability’ approach, implementing a variety of activities and curricula aimed at developing a sense of social responsibility in medical students. The research of this thesis uses critical discourse analysis (CDA) to scrutinize the writing of senior medical students, with a view to uncovering how identity, ideology, and social position are expressed by students who have undertaken a curriculum designed with social accountability in mind. The analysis examines the conditions of discourse practice, student orientations to a professional medical identity, and ideologies of community, rurality, indigeneity, and gender. I discuss these …